Ed-Curious
by starwanker
Summary: A seemingly inconsequential fight leads to a rather consequential confession. Set in high school. Edd/Eddy (Fixed for weird formatting. Originall on Tumblr). Rated T for awkward teenage years and language. Cover photo by the wonderful Silverlullaby on Tumblr.
1. Xevious

A series of small, seemingly meaningless arguments leads up to the Peach Creek High Freshmen Dance, and a rather climactic revelation for the Eds.

* * *

_'I wonder if I could get mine to look like that?'_

It wasn't as if he were shy. Shame was a foreign concept to him (unless the word 'Skipper' was uttered anywhere within a twenty five mile radius). Rationalization was as well.

Rather, Eddy was so adept at rationalizing his insecurities and uncertainties that the process ran in the background of his mind, the act in itself acting as another layer of defense to keep his inflated ego from puncturing itself on any abnormalities. Hence, he knew no shame.

The idea that he might have preferred looking at lean muscles rather than pillowy curves came no to surprise when Eddy hit puberty. Granted, there was confusion at first. He had always assumed himself to take up the lineage of his older brother, becoming a 'lady killer' as was expected.

There was slight denial at first, and with it came the subconscious rationalization, but after a few months of soul searching, 'experimentation', accepting the random images of slender, flat chested bodies flashing through his mind while jerking (and watching the after school football scrimmages) Eddy realized he was gay.

After that, there wasn't much else. It wasn't a big deal. There wasn't any epiphany or angst. He just kept it to himself because he didn't really care. Maybe there was some tortured self conscious reason for that, but he'd deal with that as a forty year old in therapy. It really didn't affect him.

Though he'd never admit it to any of his friends (or enemies, seeing as he had a few more of them). It was like Skipper. That was his middle name and while he didn't love it, he didn't hate _himself_ for it. He knew kids would make fun of it, understandably. Hell, he'd make fun of it. So like any halfway cognizant brainiac out there, he kept his mouth shut about. It's not like he had a problem with tenting at the sight of a bicep.

He understood the stigma, seeing as he had believed all of the stereotypes, up until discovering he was 'in the closet', and knew that there would be dire consequences to his reputation if he were to come open about his sexuality.

Eddy's acceptance was an odd contrast to the stark aversion he held when having learned about the idea.

"People do that!?" he spat, slurping some soda up his nose as he gagged. The anchorwoman continued droning on as the television showed two Danish men holding hands, smiling brightly at each other, and then at Eddy through the flickering, pixelated screen. His father grunted. His mother nodded curtly and changed the channel from the news to cartoons as they continued eating their meatloaf.

And that was that.

Who would've guess four and a half years later, Eddy would be stealing 'fag rags' along with his other magazines from the Peach Creek Quik Mart, just outside the school.

He hid them amongst his stash, knowing full well that Edd would never riffle through them (out of prude-ness, and hygienic reasons…), and Ed had his own collection to gawk at. And it's not like the girls were just for show. He could appreciate a pair of tits.

Snickering to himself, Eddy briefly wondered if Edd had some of his own.

'Probably some librarian looking chicks wearing nothing but lab coats.'

His thoughts were interrupted by the bell; sixth period was over.

Looking around himself, Eddy realized he had completely failed to finish the essay he was supposed to be writing on The Catcher and the Rye.

"Shit." he murmured, looking down to see only two words written on his paper.

_The pro. -_ He wasn't even sure what he meant by 'pro'.

Behind him, Johnny was shoving his own paper against Eddy repeatedly for him to pass up.

"Come on Eddy! Get your head out of the clouds, yeesh!" the boy's voice grated against Eddy's ears, spurring to use an even shriller tone back at Johnny.

"Can it Melon Head!" he grabbed the boy's paper, crumpling it somewhat and earning a glare from Plank. Without any idea of what to jot down, what with not having read the book and all, Eddy simply handed his own blank page up along with Johnny's.

He scowled to himself, crossing his arms as his gaze drifted back to Kevin.

Or rather, Kevin's biceps. Still no tenting.

Eddy hated Kevin, oh yes, but he could appreciate a good pair of arms when he saw them.

Slightly disgusted with himself for allowing Kevin of all people to further lower his grade in English, Eddy collected his few belongings and stood up to meet Ed and Double Dee who were patiently waiting for him at the door.

"Didn't quite finish your assignment, Eddy?" Double Dee asked with what Eddy could only identify as false concern.

"Pfft, like I did." Ed said in a guffaw.

Eddy rolled his eyes, pushing past the lankier boy and tugging Ed along with him.

Edd simply let out a knowing sigh and followed behind his two friends, his messenger bag gently rubbing against his thigh as he walked.

Now, Eddward was a completely different animal. An animal made of fragile and deliberate, moral, mental walls. These glass barriers were frosted, but tall. Anyone could plainly see past them into the 'forbidden zone', but they were unsurpassable, keeping the boy locked in the own safety of what was known and familiar. He called this barrier: heterosexuality. Or rather, general anxiety disorder and asexuality, as a safe, family friendly alternative.

Sure, he would catch himself starring a second too long. And, there was the one occasion he had to excuse himself while watching Top Gun with Eddy, Ed, and his family. The volleyball scene got him every time. Which was weird because other guys did the same thing when girls played volleyball. He just felt impolite watching.

'That could've happened to anyone; it's nothing to be ashamed about. I'm going through puberty; a natural process for any adolescent my age. Perfectly bell curve.'

But then there was the touching.

Any touch, any contact, from Kevin pushing past him too close to Rolf slapping his butt in some sick form of congratulation used in his home country, to the occasional hugs Ed gave him, to the pats on the back and rubbing of thighs when Eddy sat by him. He would blush, sweat, burn. It made his natural finicky movements and twitches all the worse.

And yet, the boy still had no idea why.

He didn't want to know why.

"Sockhead, I'm talking to ya!" A hand passing too close in his air space dissipated the swirling thoughts inside Edd's head. He blinked, turning to his friend with a blank stare.

"My apologies, Eddy. I seemed to have 'zoned out'. I didn't get much sleep last night. What were you saying?"

"I'm saying when're you gonna grow some balls and ask some babe out to the dance?" Eddy asked, his voice thick with derision.

"Oh, well, I-" Double Dee stuttered unintelligibly as he slowly receded into his shirt. "I'm, I'm not entirely positive that I will b-be attending-"

Eddy bust out with a cackle, and Ed a chuckle. Double Dee harrumphed.

"I don't suppose either of you have dates for this upcoming Saturday?" Double Dee retorted, his shirt still pulled up to his nose.

Both boys fell into an awkward silence, considering their own predicaments.

"I've just gotta wait for the right girl to get the guts and ask me." Eddy turned from his friend with a proud smirk (and he honestly believed that), while Ed pondered about his own options.

"And by girl I mean Nazz."

"But Eddy!" Ed began in his usual fashion, his face contorted with extreme confusion. "If you take Naz, that leaves Sarah and the Kankers! Kankers! And Sarah is my baby sister! Two wrongs do not make a right Eddy."

"Chill, Ed. You can just go stag with Sockhead like you do every school dance."

"We will be alone together." Ed said with resolution as he looked to Double Dee, who had a rather sour look on his face.

"Please, Eddy. You know just as well as I that you'll be accompanying us 'stag' to this dance, that is if I even gather the gumption to attend. Drop the pretension, it's getting old."

"Pfft, fat chance. I'm a hot item. It's only a matter of time before someone asks." Eddy spat as he busted through the school's double doors.

Eddy would take no better a date than Naz. Which, deep down, he knew wouldn't happen because Kevin was a fat sack of dicks, thus giving him the excuse to simply go with Edd and Ed as he always had in previous years.

"And can-it about not goin'; you pull that for every dance." Eddy suddenly took a doe eyed stance and pulled his backpack over his head. "Oh dear me, I must attend to my homework and chores and boring books instead of being a normal kid, like everyone else!" his impression fell into a yell as he waved his hands in front of Double Dee, who looked hurt in return.

"Please, Eddy, you know how I hate those functions!"

"Yeah, well you're going So you drop the pretensile, why don'tcha." the shorter boy finished curtly as he marched ahead. Double Dee understood that was the end of that conversation.

He rolled his eyes and followed along, beckoning Ed away from a fire hydrant that seemed to have garnered his attention for some reason or another.

And then there was Ed. Plain, simple, good hearted Ed. Well, simple-minded.

Monsters, outdated horror movies from the 60s, crappy special effects, paint model figurines, stop-go claymation, mold, gravvy; these are the things that made up Ed's interests. He really had no time for girls. That being said, he was a teenager. A teenage boy, to be exact, and as such, he had urges. Unlike his two best friends, however, Ed wasn't gay. Maybe a little sensitive, but save the occasional homoerotic comment (almost always ironic), Ed was straight as an arrow.

While his sights weren't exactly set on any girl, Ed was well versed in romance. Seemingly transparent, there was a lot to Ed that wasn't exactly obvious, and as well as Eddy and Edd claimed to know Ed, there were things about him that no one would be able to guess. Like his love for 'romcoms' (When Harry Met Sally, Pretty Woman, Slagbar from Sector 9). Even more surprising was his keen observation skills. Granted, Ed's lack of intellect often neutralized any useful information he happened to pick up, but he still picked up quite a lot, including all of the subtle hints and tension between Edd and Eddy.

But he would never say anything.

That would just be mean.

Plus it kinda of freaked him out, when he wasn't jealous of the 'friendly' attention'. He just didn't like to see them get into pissing matches over _nothing_, not when there were better things to do.

Still, the banter between the two intrigued Ed to no end; he was happy to sit back and add the occasional sarcastic (well, his 'version' of sarcasm which was usually a non sequitur) comment as he watched his two best friends work/argue to create some scam so that he could bring it crashing down per usual. That's just how things were.

Ed's attention was called upon once more as Eddy grabbed the larger boy's collar, yanking it hard and bringing Ed to the ground.

"Jeez Lumpy, what are you, deaf? I said we're heading to the Quik Mart. No one's listening to me today." Eddy gave Ed a smack for good measure and helped him up. The tallest of the three quirked his eyebrow and rubbed the back of his head.

"What for, Eddy?"

"Jawbreakers! And some other stuff." Eddy gave his friend a knowing look and a slight nudge, to which Ed happily nodded and bit his lower lip.

By that, Eddy meant he was going to either buy/attempt to steal one single jaw breaker and nab a few Playboys (and if he was careful, a Blueboy. He'd trade the Penthouses and Playboys with Ed, and not just as an act.) while the cashier wasn't looking. Ed would play an arcade game or check out some of the black and white Monster's Attack Marvel comics. Edd would try and keep quiet by the refrigerated section, and occasionally buy something to 'throw off the scent' as Eddy called it. So basically Ed and Edd spent money so that Eddy didn't have to.

Scams weren't as easy to pull off during the school year, so the boys found makeshift ways to keep themselves occupied for free. Walks, the junkyard, sneaking into movies, begging for money around the arcades. Plus, most kids, including the Eds', had some sort of after school commitment; sports, clubs, tutoring, homework, or chores.

Today though, there was nothing, and so the boys were off to the Quick Mart.

"Eddy, I implore you to reconsider-"

"Save it, Einstien, you like splitting jawbreakers just as much as me or Ed, regardless of how much it costs."

"Yes, I love partaking in a solitary lick while Ed salivates over everything and you shove the hole darn thing in your mouth! Quite entertaining, and sanitary I might add." The trio burst through the store's doors, clanging a welcoming bell as they entered. The Quik Mart was small, cluttered, and smelt of magic markers, but it was one of the few convenient stores that side of town. Everything was overpriced and outdated, but it got by because of its late hours. The store had become a sort of hangout for kids when everything else was closed. During the day, however, it was virtually empty, making it a prime spot for the Eds to conduct their business expenditures.

"Just stand by the fridge and look pretty." Double Dee blinked hard as he received a light smack to his cheek.

Recovering, Double Dee straightened out his cardigan and calmly paced to where the milk sat. He began to sweat slightly and decided to occupy himself with something.

"Two fifteen? For a gallon of two percent? Absurd."

Ed, meanwhile. had already inserted a precious quarter into the coin operated Xevious sitting in a dark corner. Eddy scowled as he dug through his pockets, and then Ed's.

"You used a quarter without me!?"

"Aw come on Eddy! I gotta defend my high score!" Ed pushed the shorter boy back with his foot while the clerk watched the two tussle, looking uneasy.

"Quit bringing attention to us you big Lummox!" Eddy's voice hissed, hot and sheer in Ed's ear, which only made him push away harder. Eddy growled, rolling up his sleeves and crouching, ready to pounce onto Ed.

"Ahem." the clerk, a new, young brunette Eddy didn't recognize or notice up until that point, cleared her throat as she eyed the two.

Eddy gave a nervous chuckle, smiling as he straightened himself out. Ed ignored both, his eyes intent on the flashing screen in front of him. A thin sheen of perspiration built on his forehead as he dodge oncoming missiles.

"How much for three jawbreakers?" Double Dee's own voice startled both Eddy and the cashier.

Double Dee pulled out three quarters and laid them on the counter, then turned to Eddy, who only looked confused.

"Holding out on us?"

"Of course not. I had extra money is all." Edd answered politely as he took the jawbreakers and walked over to his two friends.

He handed one to Eddy, placed another in his bag, and held the last one above his head.

"I'm not gona gwab for it, Swock Head. Yeeth."

"Just a precaution." Double Dee answered in deadpan. The two stood behind Ed, who was still absorbed with killing the mothership, and watched.

Minutes passed, neither terribly interested in the record breaking score Ed has gained. Even the cashier had forgotten they were there.

Eddy's jawbreaker had dissolved considerably, and he looked displeased. His frown fell into a set grimace, one so commonly worn that wrinkles had discernibly grown around the boy's brow and mouth.

Edd could feel the tension, but said nothing.

"Die alien scum! Die!"

"Keep it down, Spock."

"Well, aren't you going to get your sordid reading materials? The store attendant seems to have drifted out to the back." Double Dee whispered to Eddy, who flinched from the proximity.

"Nah, we'll get 'em tomorrow."

"Isn't the dance tomorrow?"

"We'll get them Monday. What's your rush?"

"Nothing, nothing."

A few more minutes passed. Ed was now battling the second mothership, a flurry of projectiles and oncoming ships flying past his own, miraculously.

His hands moved immaculately, almost to an unheard rhythm.

Neither noticed.

"So where'd you get the money from?" Eddy finally asked. Almost as soon as the words came from his mouth, Double Dee sighed, exasperated.

"I knew you were going to ask that; it was just a matter of time! Can't I have spare pocket change, how's it your-"

"We never have any money!"

"Because we always spend it on-"

"Well isn't that what friends are for!?"

"Jawbreakers and pornography!? No, Eddy, that is not what friends are for. A simply 'thank you' would suffice."

"Sensitive, much?"

Silence.

Double Dee had his arms crossed and was facing towards the exit. Eddy, hands deep in his own pockets, was kicking at a floor tile. Neither noticed the absence of 'pews' or button mashing, not until Eddy looked up.

"Hurry up and loose already, Ed-oh. You're done." Eddy stared up to Ed, who had his back turned to the game and was looking down at Eddy.

"Been done. You guys ruined my game." he answered, clearly aggravated, and rightfully so. While he still had the high score, Ed was further into the game than he had ever been (and, little known fact, further than ANYONE had ever been).

Double Dee turned around, face contorted with an almost maternal concern.

"Oh did we? Ed, I'm sorry."

Eddy rolled his eyes.

"Eh, it's no big deal. Like you said Eddy, we're coming back next week, right?"

"Sure Ed."

There was that silence again.

"Uh, so you guys got jawbreakers?" Ed suddenly remembered. He hopped up and down excitedly as he looked from Edd to Eddy. "Where!? Where!?"

"Right here, Ed." Double Dee pulled Ed's from his bag and handed it to his friend. "There you go."

"Alright! Oh thank you Double Dee, thank you!" he yelled in his usual, upbeat and drawn out manner that suggested developmental problems.

Awkward silence averted, the trio left the Quik Mart, chit chatting about nothing as they headed back to the cul-de-sac.

The dance came up a few more times; Edd denied Ed's begging and Eddy's teasing, insisting he had 'more pressing matters' but knowing deep down he'd eventually give in.

The evening soon gave to a cool autumn breeze and a crisp, bright crescent. The boys parted ways just before the street lamps flickered on, and night fell over the small town of Peach Creek.


	2. Teacher's Pet

The next day went by rather quickly for Ed. He slept through math, coasted through civics by doodling cigars and flaming penises overtop what looked to be Sarah or Jimmy's drawings of flowers and unicorns on the very back table, and finally met up with Edd and Eddy during P.E..

P.E. was Ed's favorite class; being able to freely romp around outside during school hours was a godsend for the boy.

Eddy's day, up until that point, had been played out with him acting impatient over 'Nazz's cold feet' and annoyed over Double Dee's touchiness. The last twelve hours had been particularly stressful for the latter boy, despite the fact that over the past few years the routine had become a ritual for them: Eddy hoping for a date, Edd flipping shit, and Ed not giving one. It didn't help that the dance had a similar effect over the rest of the grade. Everyone was on edge, some with nervous excitement, other with just plain nerves.

Despite his faux confidence, Double Dee could see right through Eddy. He had his own, abrasive, belligerent manner of acting panicky, and it was usually aimed at his two closest friends.

Lunch brought the three little respite, seeing as the dance was all anyone was talking about. Sitting a small space apart from a chattering Ed and Eddy, Edd's eyes darted from one group of children to the other, all clambering on about what they would wear, who would carpool with who, what music would be played, and of course, who they would be attending with.

"Greetings Turtle Dove Ed-boy, do you-"

"NO! I do not have a date for the dance already! Okay!?" It was pure instinct on Edd's part, and rather uncharacteristic of him to lose his temper so suddenly. He huffed, and after a beat, flushed with embarrassment. Double Dee turned sheepishly to see Rolf, who withered a bit, then furrowed his brow.

"Rolf was not going to ask you about the school solstice festival, he was going to ask if you knew which way the hag of a thousand words resides. Yes?"

"Hag of thousand…p-pardon?"

"The mistress of conjugation, Double Dee Ed-boy!"

"…Miss Crawford? Our English professor?"

"Yes!" Rolf nearly slapped Edd with his hand waving. Ducking a backhand, Double Dee readjusted his hat before answering.

"Oh, well, her office is in the English office, which is right next to the library, Rolf. Is that what you're looking for?"

"Ah, yes," the blue haired boy gave a smug grin, crossing his arms across his out-puffed chest, "may the smiles of a thousand banana slugs smile upon you, Ed-boy, carry on sulking then." Sometimes, Edd wondered if Rolf just made sayings up to mess with people.

He happily sauntered off, without explanation of why he needed to see the English teacher. Double Dee forgot the incident almost immediately, returning his nervous glance this way and that around the lunch room and calculating the chances of a girl asking him to the dance. Or, much less likely, him gathering the courage to go up and ask.

Next to him, Ed and Eddy were loudly discussing their plans for pre-dance preparation.

"Just stop by my house an hour before and I'll fix us some chimichangas or something." Eddy graveled, his chin in his hands as he absentmindedly flipped his fork around his fingers.

"Oh! Oh! Fix spaghetti, Eddy! I want noodles!" Ed clapped his hands happily, looking to his shorter friend with hope.

"That's pasta, Ed, and no. I'm fixing chimichangas."

"Aw come on, you know what Mexican does to my…my inner machinations!"

"Everything screws up your mastications, Ed." Eddy mumbled with a slight, disgusted chuckle. Had Edd been listening, he might have both commended and corrected Ed and Eddy on their vocabulary respectively.

"Yeah, that is true." Ed mused thoughtfully while taking another spoon of pudding.

"Ugh, Ed, chew with your mouth closed or you'll freak out Mr. Clean over there." Eddy motioned towards Double Dee, an attempt to pull him into their conversation.

"Huh?" Ed turned towards the boy, his mouth still open and full of pudding.

Edd only continued to stare off into space, his distant gaze jetting from corner of the room to another.

"Yes, very nice."

"Sockhead! You listening?!"

"About what?"

"What's with you? Still being a pansy over the dance?" That struck a cord.

"Excuse me? A pansy? I don't happen to see that line of girls you were referring to the other day."

"You guys."

"Shut up, Ed, and stop spitting food on me!" Eddy slapped the lug out of his way to get a better aim at Double Dee. He lunged his finger into his lanky chest, twisting it for effect. "You don't see me cowering in the corner by myself over it."

Edd smacked his hand away, growing angrier, rather than the intimidated, as Eddy had intended. "Well at least I have the humility and tact to keep my mouth shut instead of lying about it, galavanting around and judging-"

"Galavanting?! Pfft, talk about humility. At least I don't use giant, dumb words to confuse people when I'm too wimpy to defend myself."

Silence.

"Guys?"

"Ed, chew with your mouth closed. Well, Eddy, I don't think I should have to defend myself from my friends. And I don't appreciate being interrupted." Double Dee said, quietly. He folded his hands and turned his sad gaze away from Ed and Eddy.

"Quit being so sensitive; I'm only messing around."

More silence.

Eddy harumphed, turning his slightly embarrassed attention back to Ed, who only stared questioningly between the two.

"I guess I'll fix spaghetti tomorrow." Eddy mumbled before taking a bite of his own food.

Ed's face lit up, not his usual happiness but a shade close. He nodded, taking another spoonful of pudding skin and stuffing his face with it,

"Okay, Eddy!"

As expected, globs of pudding shot from Ed's gaping mouth and landed directly onto Eddy's face.

Shutting his eyes, pursing his lips, Eddy's face grew red and hot (Ed was surprised the pudding didn't evaporate into steam from the heat generated). Perhaps it was the fact he had been told at least three times, or the suppressed anger leftover from their growing spat, but Eddy, after a pause, grabbed his lunch tray, food and all, and slammed it directly into Ed's smiling, oblivious face.

"CLOSE YOUR MOUTH, ED!"

The tray hung, mashed potatoes dripping from where it sat attached to Ed's head.

Other students turned to look; the cafeteria was deathly silent.

Ed stood from his seat, the tray sliding from his filthy face.

Ed, on the ever rare occasion, could get angry. Very angry. Paired with his 'retard' strength, he was a force to be reckoned with…well, on the ever rare occasion, if there was a pebble in his shoe. Luckily for Eddy, this was not the rare occasion. Ed was like a dog in many ways. A big, dumb puppy who loved to roll around in the dirt and pant obliviously as he sauntered into the house, tracking mud and shit literally everywhere.

Eddy waited, fists clenched, for some of the potatoes to clear. What they revealed, instead of a scowl or grimace like much of the audience anticipated, was a malicious grin. Eddy's rage wilted.

"FOOD FIGHT!" he bellowed, grabbing a fistful of gravvied tater tots and ramming them into Eddy's gaping mouth.

As if on cue, the rest of the kids stood and immediately began throwing pizzas and burger patties at one another, the less willing ducking beneath the tables with trays up as shields.

Eddy rebounded, his wrath redoubled and both fists full of peas. Through the gunfire, he ducked and dodged streams of ketchup and mustard, his sights set on Ed.

The taller boy was busy running circles around a confused Kevin whilst carrying a bowl full of jello.

Edd, meanwhile, had crawled to the cafeteria door, and was currently trying to sneak through unseen when he bumped into a pair of legs.

"Ed-boy? Why do you do the dance of the neonatal? What is it that goes on in the trough room?" Rolf peaked through the double doors, only to be pelted with a slice of bologna.

"DISGRACE TO THE SON OF A SHEPPARD! Oh, and Double Dee," peeling the meat from his face, Rolf stole a bite and bent down to Edd's level, "the English lady would like to speak with you."

"Miss Crawford."

"Yes, her. DARE YOU SPIT IN THE EYE OF A BLIND GOAT, ROLF WILL TEACH YOU-"

Edd was off, wanting to get as far away from the cafeteria as possible. Rolf's shouts dissipated from Edd's ears as he walked down the hallway towards the English office.

He was used to teachers wanting his assistance, though Double Dee would be lying if he wasn't a bit nervous. Perhaps it was the food fight, or maybe the biting words Eddy had delivered not a few minutes earlier, but Edd found himself feeling on edge. It wasn't anger, exactly, nor anxiety. He just felt a bit frayed.

Reaching the English office, Edd knocked gently on the door. His three raps barely made a sound on the Luanne Plywood, but after a moment, the door opened, and he was invited inside.

Retribution reached, Eddy sat, slumped, heaving, and covered in a murky rainbow of different foods.

Beside him, Ed sat, licking the different varieties of meat sauce from his forearm. Their respective energies had faded into a relaxed camaraderie. Despite their differences, Eddy and Ed seemed to share an unspoken affinity for roughhousing with each other, and teaming up to mess with with others.

"Say Ed, where'd Sockhead go?"

"I dunno, Eddy. Haven't seen him since you threw the tray in my face."

"Ed. How many times do I have to tell you, idiot!? Stop talkin' with your mouth full!"

Ignoring his short tempered other, Ed continued to lick himself clean, like a cat. Pensively, he looked about the wreckage, searching for their mild-mannered friend. He was nowhere to be seen.

"Just like him to duck out when things get messy."

Ed looked down to Eddy with slight disdain.

"Aw, don't be like that, Eddy."

"Like what? All he ever does nowadays is complain. He hasn't helped me think up a scam in over a month! Like how many times has he passed up watching movies with us at your house, Ed? I swear he thinks he's better than us now or something. Next thing you know he'll say he can't go to the dance."

"But he already said he couldn't."

"I know that, you dickweed. I'm saying he won't actually go. He always gets pissy when they come around, but he gives in eventually."

"Well, you've been yelling a lot more."

Eddy had to stop and turn towards Ed.

"What did you just say?" he asked, his voice devoid of any anger.

"I'm just saying you two've been fighting a lot and it's not all because of Double Dee, Eddy."

Eddy sat back against the wall, surprised by Ed's lack of reference or off the wall joke. He bit his lip while chewing on his friend's words. After a few minutes, he came to a conclusion.

"Yeah, well I've only been fighting back because he started it."

"When?" Ed asked. He had 'cleaned' his left arm and now licked at the right.

"At the start of the school year. I know he gets all nerdy and stuff when school starts but this year he just stopped hanging out as much."

"…yeah." Ed had noticed a slight difference, but not by much. In all honesty, he was surprised Eddy was more bothered by the near negligible shift. Of course the word negligible wasn't the word he thought.

At that moment, a mop was thrown in between the two, clattering against the wall and startling both Ed and Eddy.

"The lunch lady said we have to clean up before next bell so get cleaning!" Sarah's voice broke the two from their respective reveries and brought them back to the messy, food splattered walls and floors of the cafeteria.

"Get lost Sarah." Eddy scowled while Ed cowered.

"If you two nitwits don't start-" Sarah suddenly stopped when she noticed one Ed was missing, "hey, where's Double Dee?"

"Beats me." Eddy mumbled.

"Well he better help or I'm telling the teacher!" And with that, Sarah stomped off.

"That sister of yours is a real piece of-"

"Look, Eddy! There's Double Dee!" Ed turned Eddy's entire body towards the cafeteria's doors and pointed, overjoyed to see their friend had survived the firefight.

"Greetings gentlemen." Double Dee said as he neared his two friends, stepping over puddles of soda and beans as he walked.

"Where were you?"

"Miss Crawford required my assistance with a…matter."

Eddy rolled his eyes.

"Teacher's pet."

And once again, perhaps it was the dance, or maybe the slurry of mixed signals he had received since the start of the day, but Double Dee felt himself snap inside.

"Teacher's pet? Teacher's pet!? I haven't even said what she wanted to see me for and you have the gall to accuse me of being an overzealous student!? What if I was in trouble? I wasn't, of course, but who are you to assume that I'm just being a 'brown nose'. Because I'm not! I'm a good student! And what's so wrong with that? What's so wrong with me actually trying, academically!? Why do you have to nitpick everything lately! Why can't you just get your act together instead of scrutinizing my own! I've had it up here with your constant criticism and snide remarks, mister!" Double Dee ended his words with a snap.

Ed was surprised, but Eddy just seemed exhausted. He kept his mouth shut in a tight, firm line, and shoved the mop into Double Dee's chest, and walked away.

After a bit of cleaning, Ed finally decided to ask Double Dee.

"What did Miss Crawford want you for?"

"She, uh, wanted me to provide music for the dance since the AV club was having technical problems with the gymnasium's sound system."

"So you're going to the dance!?"

Edd sighed.

"Yes, Ed, I'm going. But I'll be playing the steel guitar off to the side. I won't be able to leave my post."

Ed quirked his brow a bit, but decided to keep any words to himself. The two mopped and scrubbed in silence for the rest of the period.


	3. Strange Magic

A waning, plucky guitar tune careened through the air. The reverberations seemed to take a hollow sound, echoing off Eddy's bare back wall for a few extra seconds before finally reaching his ears.

_"Your, walking meadows in my mind"_

Eddy mouthed the background singers; _"Bah-daba-da-da-dah"_ kicking his feet against his bed frame and sliding himself a few inches further down the bed. His purple, 75 thread count sheets crinkled along with him.

_"Making waves across my time,"_

_"Bah-daba-da-da-dah,"_

"Oh no,"

"Bah-daba-da-da-dah,"

"Oh no,"

Swirling violins filled the void, still empty and melancholy despite the building tempo.

_"I get a, strange magic,_

_"Oh what a-ah, strange magic,_

_"Oh it's a-ah strange magic;"_ he idly drummed his palms against his rock hard mattress, _"got a strange magic, got a strange magic."_ Back came the gentle hum of guitar.

He sighed irritably. The bath hadn't helped, nor the nap, and Face The Music wasn't doing any good. Granted, the nap occurred right after he had woke around 12, and then the bath was more of a two hour soaking in his standup shower, and Eddy wasn't terribly fond of ELO, but it still left him feeling even more stiff and irritable.

The funny thing was, he couldn't even pinpoint the cause of his stress. It was a boring day. For Eddy, things either solved themselves, or he pestered/finagled/yelled them into oblivion. So having done all of these tried and trusted things throughout the week, he expected to feel a little less crappy. Excited, maybe even.

The dance was in a couple of hours. No scam had taken place that day; everyone was too busy with themselves to pay mind to a cul-de-sac gimmick, and even Eddy had the foresight to skip the formalities. Besides, he wanted to sleep in.

School was going decent, well, decent for Eddy. So everything seemed to be running smoothly.

And despite all of the so called 'galavanting', Eddy knew no one would ask him to the dance. He'd go with his two best friends just like every other year and awkwardly lurk in the corner while eye balling the other students. Eventually the Kankers would make a guest appearance and destroy everything they held dear. It was how it always went. Eddy's act was part of the tradition as well. It was part of his personality and shouldn't have come as a surprise to a certain somebody. It was merely a device to save face. Because Eddy, unlike some people, had pride. And he, naturally, was proud of it.

Of course, he wasn't completely unaware of the problem. That would be daft, even for Eddy. A small part of him realized that little fights between himself and Double Dee had become more frequent, and more arbitrary. Edd usually had the maturity to write them off; it was one of Eddy's favorite things about Double Dee. Yet, lately, the usually tepid boy had become more and more aggressive towards Eddy's triteness. Wasn't he used to Eddy, after all these years? Didn't he still want to be friends? it's not like Double Dee was all sunshine and rainbows to deal with. Nor Ed, for that matter. But they ignored the quirks as best they could and they were friends.

It wasn't his fault. Eddy was always trite, always petty and annoying and cocky. Ed was an absolute scatterbrain; head-in-the-clouds dipshit. In his defense, a lot of Eddy went over his head. But most of Eddy didn't.  
Double Dee was anal retentive and snarky and self righteous.  
But they almost always stuck through it. Because Eddy was also kind of loyal sometimes and definitely funny and was able to put vague ideas into tangible actions and Ed liked really cool stuff and had decent taste and was always down for anything and like to wrestle, and Double Dee was a genius and actually pretty selfless and understanding and he went out of his way to be mushy when he thought people needed it.

It was expected of them to endure the pettiness, like an unspoken contract. And for _him_ to break that contract greatly confused Eddy. It kind of worried him.

As he pinched his itchy sheets in-between his thumb and forefinger, Eddy attempted something.

He shut his eyes hard. He sort of clenched his fists, the sheets piling beneath them.

Something strange and vaguely foreign, he tried to imagine Double Dee's life outside of him and Ed.

His home life. The small majority of his 'social' life they didn't inhabit. Were there girls? Hell no. He'd know. Eddy'd know; he'd be able to sense it. Parent troubles? No. Double Dee adored his parents, as formal and overbearing (albeit absent) as they were. He'd met them plenty of times and they adored their son right back, coddled him when they weren't expecting him to build a rocket before dinner. Definitely no problems with school.

Just like Eddy's checklist, Double Dee's seemed to be just as orderly.

From his point of view. But what could he be missing?

Eddy liked to think of himself as sharp. A good people reader, just like his older brother and father. They were always talking about how easy it was for them to pick apart their old teachers, coworkers, bosses. His old man could intimidate any used car salesman and that had to run in the family. It was obvious that Eddy was at least halfway clever. He needed to be, in order to scam people correctly.

Plus, he knew Double Dee better than anyone. Maybe he was a bit judgmental and condescending towards his various quirks, but he certainly knew them all. And Double Dee could probably (hopefully) say the same about him. It was the contract they all had, Ed included.

His empathy run dry, Eddy switched back to his own woes. Sighing as he felt a headache brew, he decided to diagnose Double Dee with being a pussy. He was mad over nothing, and he'd get over it. All current problems could be chalked up as having to deal with his moody friend. So there.

Everything was in check. No profit loss, no 'girl' problems, no school problems, passing friend problems, and a dance to boot.

Yet, Eddy still felt like he'd just ran a truck over a sack of kittens.

Guilt wasn't Eddy's favorite feeling; he usually masked it with anger, but even after that it was really beginning to get to him. Maybe he wasn't giving sockhead enough credit. Maybe he was giving himself too much credit.

Eyes darting towards his door, Eddy briefly considered the idea of 'testing out' his new magazines, but thought against it when he heard a 'plink' against his bedroom window. Too bad, it would've been relaxing.

He sat up from his bed and rubbed at his eyes.

"Who's it?" Eddy rasped, taking a moment to scratch at his balls while he waited for an answer.

No one answered, however, and Ed would've barged in by now. Even Double Dee would answer.

Quirking a brow, he took a chance.

"Nazz?"

He glanced towards the clock. It was only 3:30, despite how dark it was in the room with the shades shut. It was too early for Eddy to be expecting anyone; the other Eds had agreed to meet Eddy at his place around 5:45, to eat and finish last minute 'sprucing' for the dance. They'd walk to school together from there. Till then, Eddy had planned on goofing around. Ed was probably sleeping or watching cartoons or going through his gargantuan comic collection. Double Dee was most likely finishing the weekend's homework or something equally as absurd.

"Hello?" Eddy tried once more, standing by the door. He pulled the needle from his record player and hit the power button. The song slurred to a stop.

Still no one, but another plink spurred Eddy to look through his blinds before opening up to the stranger.

The light burned into his retinas, blinding Eddy momentarily before the intensity coalesced into the image of his backyard. Completely uninhabited by anyone; empty. Confused, Eddy shut the blinds and yanked his door open.

He stood in the doorway expectantly, yet no one was there.

"Hello?" he drawled, dragging out the 'o'.

Still nothing.

As Eddy was turning around, a third stone struck, this one slightly larger, but instead of hitting against the window, the rock hit against the back of his head.

"Ow! Shit!" He spun around and stomped outside his door, "what gives!?"

"_Psst!"_

"Huh?" Eddy did a double take around his backyard. Still no one, but he was sure he had heard a whisper. His immediate reaction was to assume it Kevin and slam the door before any harm or humiliation befell him, but right before he did, a hand grabbed him by the stubby ankles and yanked him down.

"Ow, what the-"

"Eddy! Quiet! It's me!" The whisper was wet in Eddy's ear as he was dragged from the sunlight into the bushes outside his bedroom window. The thistles scratched at his arms and legs.

"Ed? What the hell are you doing you idiot!?"

"Quiet!"

Ed was on his stomach, his jacket collar popped and pulled over his head. All Eddy could make out were two, giant, bloodshot eyes.

"Quit spitting in my ear, you jackass, and tell me why you're hiding in my bushes! And get offa me!" Eddy emphasized this with a harsh shove, which barely moved Ed.

"I have a problem!" Ed continued, moving away from Eddy, voice still low but above a whisper.

"A problem that involves throwing rocks at my head and ambushing me in my own backyard!?"

"Uh" Ed thought. "…Yes!"

Eddy rolled his eyes, mostly to himself, and proceeded to slap Ed upside his jacket covered head.

"You couldn't just, I dunno, call, or knock on my door like a normal person?"

"No! Eddy you don't understand…"Ed pulled his jacket up further, his shirt lifting with it and revealing his lower back.

Eddy waited for the kicker.

"I have a zit!"

"Ugh," Eddy slapped his own face this time. "Ed, your entire face is a zit. What's the big deal? Not like you've got a hot date tonight, so get over it. I mean, perfect timing for the dance, but who cares?"

"No, no, Eddy, this isn't an ordinary zit. It's a mutant! And-and, well, I asked Sarah to help me make it go away, but she just called Jimmy over and they put stuff on it that made it itchy and red and huge and worse! Then they got grossed out and kicked me out of Sarah's room, so I put on a disguise," Ed pulled his jacket down to reveal a red beehive wig eerily reminiscent of Lee Kanker's own curly mop, along with a beagle puss, "and tried Double Dee's house, but he wouldn't answer!" This caught Eddy's attention.

"So then I figured you deal with pimples more than anyone else I know and I came over here, but on the way I ran into Kanker's! Well, not the Kanker's, but just May. I don't think she recognized me, but I got away as fast as I could anyways. By then it got so huge and leaky that I didn't want anyone else to see me so I hid in your bushes and started chucking little rocks at your window, and you answered the door,"

"Ed." Eddy interjected, raising a hand to his eyes.

But Ed continued on in descriptive oblivion. "And at first you didn't hear me so I threw a bigger rock,"

"Ed!"

"But this one hit your head, and then I-"

"ED! Shut it, I was there for that part. I got the bruise to show it."

"Oh, yeah you're right." the bigger boy answered with a thoughtful chuckle. Eddy's harsh gaze persisted. His face lit up when he remembered the important part.

"You said Double Dee didn't answer?"

"Nope, I kept ringing but no one was there."

"Huh." Eddy looked down, a small beetle catching his eye suddenly. "Maybe the little weirdo was taking his hourly shower or something. We should go over there and check; we need to start sprucing up for the dance."

"Okay, but Eddy, what about my zit!?" Ed pulled the glasses and wig off, revealing a rather large, and dangerous looking pimple right below his unibrow, in between his eyes. They crossed, straining to look at it. The pressure exerted seemed to push the deformity outward with a volatile determination. Eddy even flinched.

"Ugh! That's nasty, Ed."

"I know! That's why I need your help!"

"Huh. My bro probably has some miracle concoction somewhere in his room, come on." Ed and Eddy stood for the bushes, dusting themselves off. Eddy led a rather finicky Ed into his house, and shut the door behind him.

"Relax, monobrow, nobody's seen you. And what'd you care if May did, anyways?" Eddy asked as he clapped his lights on, keeping the blinds shut for Ed's modesty.

The other boy shrank somewhat, looking like he'd spilt milk. "It's embarrassing."

"You? Embarrassed?"

"It happens…sometimes!" Ed answered, walking past Eddy towards his brother's room

Momentarily forgetting his pimple, Ed allowed himself to become raptured with the thought of Eddy's brother. He loved hearing stories about what a stand up guy he was. A ladies man, a 'man's man, he was (according to local legend), everybody's man. While Edd took most folklore with a grain of salt, Ed bought every detailed story Eddy spat out about his older bro. In a weird sort of way, Ed was almost jealous. Of course, he adored his baby sister, but having such a cool older brother to brag about seemed like it had more perks.

Eddy had to slap Ed's hands away from his brother's camel at least twelve times.

"I told you, Dunce and Ugly, to keep your mitts off my bro's stuff. He notices everything I touch! Just stand over there while I go through his junk."

Eddy pulled a guitar case from underneath the bed. Behind it were at least six more, stacked on top of one another and piled side by side.

"Beauty Supplies." Ed read slowly. The label was peeling and yellowed with age, but Eddy's brother's distinct and messy scrawl was still legible despite the damage.

"Yup. A sense of humor to boot." Eddy commented, flipping the lid to the case, revealing the inside, covered with Playboy centerfolds. Eddy's devious smirk only widened as Ed gawked.

As it turned out, Eddy's brother didn't have any secret acne cures, but he did have a tube of toothpaste labeled 'zit shit' and that seemed to suffice for both the boys. Aside from the crust that had formed over and around the cap, it still seemed to be good despite being 4 years past its expiration date. After using half the tube to cover Ed's monstrosity, the two decided to head over to Double Dee's house.

It was more Eddy's idea, seeing that Ed was still afraid to venture out into the public.

"He should be home." Eddy explained. He was adamant on retrieving the boy after hearing Ed's account of his journey. "He's probably still all mopey from yesterday. Leave it to Sockhead to be a shut in; I bet he wouldn't come over anyways, so it's best if we get the upper hand and head him off. I told you guys to comer over a quarter till six, so we have the element of surprise!" Eddy said, rubbing his hands.

Ed was too busy poking his now sticky, minty, and turquoise forehead.

"Is the toothpaste working, Eddy?"

After a few seconds of silence and a deadpan stare from Eddy (a notable glob of minty green goo falling from Ed's protuberant zit to his chest, smearing his shirt), the shorter boy simply sighed and walked away.

"Come on, Ed."

"Pedals? Check."

A small, precise check, the color of a stale Maraschino Cherry, was scratched next the the item on the itinerary. The left side held a list, the right a packing procedure and the estimated time of said procedure.

"Pedal rods? Check."

Another check scrawled onto the clipboard.

"Picks?" A pause. "Hmm, picks, picks, picks." Where were the picks? He had placed them right next to the back up strings. His eyes darted to the clock.

4:40 PM.

Turning to the rest of the supplies, Edd franticly noted a number of things were missing. His voice hitched in his throat, catching a notedly squeaky sound.

"What!?" he gasped, pulling up his pillow and sheets to check beneath them. Of course, nothing was there.

He turned around,facing the rest of his room. It was spotless, as always. Not a thing out of place, and, no steel pedal guitar supplies.

Or steel pedal guitar.

Edd nearly fainted. He threw a hand out to his night stand to catch himself, grabbing his heart as if he were about to suffer cardiovascular failure.

Before he could finish his episode, however, a strange noise came from down stairs. Straightening himself out, Edd stilled and listened.

Sure enough, the untuned, sloppy sounds of steel strings being plucked (incorrectly) traveled up through Edd's hall, through his door, and to his ears.

His first reaction was annoyance. He hated people touching his stuff without his consent.

But then Edd realized that in order for his guitar to be down stairs, that would mean that someone was in his house, had entered his room, unnoticed, and taken the guitar back downstairs.

A second 'heart attack' overtook Edd, and greatly prolonged the time it took for him to make his way downstairs.

His father's golf club in hand, poised for attack (he was sure his father would overlook any damage done to it to ensure his only son's safety), Edd tiptoed down his stairwell, trying and failing to keep quiet.

The open slats of the rail made for poor disguise, and his heavy breathing was a sure giveaway, but Edd continued on.

A small, sarcastic voice in the back of his head reminded him he should have phoned the police and hid, and that his current route of action was a surefire way to get himself killed, but it was too late. He had reached the bottom of the stairs. There was no going back.

The front door was shut, and the horribly out of pitch notes continued from just around the corner in Edd's living room. It was like watching a horror movie unfold before his very eyes.

"Okay, Eddward. This is it. Courage." he whispered, eyes shut, before jumping from his hiding spot, club raised.

His screams blended in with the screams of the two intruders, and the sound of the steel pedal guitar hitting the polished tile surpassed all voices, creating an even worse cacophony.

Double Dee's pose wilted in the silence as the intruders stared him down, fear slowly melting into suppressed snickers.

"Ed? Eddy? What in Sam's Hill are you doing in my house?" he asked quietly, regarding his two friends with a baffled and subdued look.

"We came to get you for the dance, what else?" Eddy answered.

Ignoring him, Double Dee walked over to his guitar. He assessed it's fallen form in silence, and righted it with Ed's help. The latter was still smiling over the whole surprise.

"It's only 4:50, and you didn't call or knock or ring the doorbell, and-"

"We wanted to surprise you. And Ed here said he came over earlier and you didn't answer." By now, Eddy's jovial air had dissipated. While his tone remained neutral, his eyes hardened with disdain at Edd's seemingly submissive behavior.

"Well I was busy, but then you two came and went into my room without me noticing? How did you do that? And I was trying to prepare all of my supplies for the dance. I'm already behind schedule and you moved everything around, almost broke my guitar, and nearly gave me a heart attack."

Rather than the high pitched, shrieky type of voice Double Dee normally took in these type of situations, his voice remained small. He stared earnestly at the other two, his eyes demanding answers, but devoid of suspicion, oddly enough.

Ed finally noticed the change in everyone's disposition and starred between Eddy and Double Dee. He suddenly regretted deciding to surprise Double Dee, and looking towards Eddy told him his friend was feeling quite differently. It'd be easiest to apologize and move on, which Ed was more than willing to do, and would probably attempt, but Eddy wanted a fight. The other boy look unnecessarily pissed off (especially given they were not only at fault, but Double Dee hadn't yelled at them in the slightest, or even chastised them like usual.)

He opened his mouth to begin a quick explanation, but Eddy cut him off.

"What, did you not get enough sleep again or something? I don't see what the big deal is."

Double Dee only stared at Eddy.

"I'm not making a big deal, Eddy."

That tone. Like he was a child.

It took Eddy everything he had to not yell. He breathed out his nose and tried to remind himself that he was the victim of a broken contract, not Double Dee.

"Well since you wouldn't answer for Ed, and you've been all up in a wax this week, we figured we'd have to just come in ourselves. And good thing we did cause you probably would of ignored us again." Eddy said, crossing his arms and turning away from the scene with an upturned nose.

Double Dee sighed. It was tired, long, and apathetic. He looked to Ed, and then to his guitar.

"Mind helping me take this back upstairs so I can finish getting ready?"

Ed couldn't help but look to Eddy's back, almost as if he were asking for approval.

"Uh, yeah, sure." He lifted one side (much higher than Double Dee was able to lift his own), and the two started up the stairs.

"Stop being so dramatic!" Eddy called after them. Double Dee, carrying the back end, stopped for a brief moment. Ed could see the reply stirring in his mind, but instead of turning around and yelling back, all Double Dee said was,

"I'm being dramatic?" And continued on. A gentle push gave Ed the cue to keep pulling the guitar upstairs. It was light, really, and having carried it down by himself, Ed was sure he could lug it back up by himself. But he kept quiet.

Once out of earshot, Ed was expecting, almost hoping, to hear further complaints, or questions at the very least, but Double Dee was mostly silent on the way up. It made Ed uncomfortable.

Once they set the guitar down inside his room, Double Dee ushered Ed out and quietly shut the door. Ed blinked. He wasn't expecting to be kicked out. While nothing was rude or cruel about Double Dee's behavior (or, lack-thereof) it was very uncharacteristic, and very hurtful.

He wasn't used to that sort of treatment. Not from his friends, and never from someone as understanding and kind as Double Dee. Was he angry at him too? Ed thought back to the past week. All the fights between his two friends had been pretty exclusive. They didn't ignore Ed, but they didn't explain any of it to him either. Granted, no one ever really put effort into that lost cause, but still. At least Double Dee humored him, more often than not.

Ed couldn't remember doing anything particularly wrong. Maybe a few intentional slapstick type things with Eddy, a bit of roughhousing and perhaps a backhanded insult or two, but nothing with the intent to offend or harm or make anybody mad. Ed hated people being mad at him.

Confused, slightly indignant, and with nothing left to do, the sullen boy went back downstairs to find Eddy.

But, rather than finding him sprawled out on the couch or picking through the food pantry, Eddy was waiting by the open door.

"Come on."

"But-"

"It's no big deal. I'll start getting ready without him, and if he wants to come later, then he can."

Eddy walked out the door.

"Um, you mean 'we', right Eddy?" Ed asked, following his friend outside and shutting the door.

"Yeah, we'll start without him."

Ed, like a lost puppy, swayed from one leg to the other, caught between Double Dee's entryway and Eddy indifference.

"C'mon, get a move on, Lumpy. I'm hungry."

"But-"

"I'm making spaghetti."

"No chimichangas?"

"Nope."

With slightly less resignation than before, Ed followed Eddy.

It was a gamble if any of them would show.

Edd was expecting to see Ed and Eddy, but wasn't entirely sure. Likewise, the other two anticipated seeing Double Dee, but…there was a chance that they wouldn't.

Eddy reflected on this bitterly as he stirred the pot of noodles-no, pasta, he reminded himself.

He turned back to the meat sauce and repeated the process uselessly.

Ed sat at the table. His zit looked considerably less red, less swollen, but it persisted. After getting dressed he applied more zit shit to it just in case. Eddy assured him, with little conviction, that it blended in with the rest of his face.

Neither of them really felt like talking, or eating, or attending a dance at this point.

Eddy huffed.

All over a little tiff.

Stupid.

That said, he regretted a few of his actions. Regret may not have been the ideal word, but he did wish he could've rephrased a few things he'd said to both Double Dee and Ed. Why couldn't they all just say what they mean and mean what they say? Why was it so hard to ask simple questions? And even harder to answer them.

"It'll be ready in ten." Eddy stepped off his stool and slipped his apron over his head. He tossed it onto a chair and walked over to the table.

"Thanks." Ed mumbled.

Eddy stared. He almost curled his lip. That was a weird thing for Ed to say. Why was everyone saying and doing and being weird things all of a sudden.

"Alright. I'll bite. What'd I do?" Eddie asked. He already knew the answer, but like always, he'd have to lead his two friends, maybe his one friend, by the hand and spoon feed them the solution. That had always been his job. Double Dee found the solution, Eddy did the solution, and Ed? Ed usually ruined the solution. Yet, right now, he seemed like the most level headed of the three. Maybe it was the other two who screwed everything up.

Ed's eyes jumped over to Eddy, his brow furrowing a bit as if the question required some sort of advanced algorithm to compute.

"You didn't do anything."

Eddy slumped down into his chair and crossed his arms. With their respective positions, there were about eye level.

"Obviously I did." Eddy chewed on his lip before speaking again. He tried to chose his words carefully but he had never really been good at doing that. "Do you think I'm a prick?"

Ed's unibrow quirked in dismay, or more likely confusion. Eddie repeated his question.

"Do you think I'm a prick?" He asked a bit slower, more deliberate.

Ed hesitated. "Uh. No."

"An asshole?"

"Nope." That one came a bit quicker.

"A shmuck?"

"Nuh-uh."

"I don't believe you."

"Do you think I'm really an idiot?" Ed asked after a long pause. The way he said it was like he was asking about the weather.

"Sort of. Not like a dumbass but you're definitely weird as hell."

That made Ed smile, and in turn it made Eddy have to fight to keep a straight face.

"I think you say mean things but I don't think you're mean."

That one was too much. Eddie abruptly stood from his seat and walked over to the stove. He gave the pot three brisk stirs before dumping half of it onto a plate for Ed, along with some meat sauce, and a significantly less amount for himself. Walking back to the table, Eddie slapped the plates down.

With one bite, Ed knew that the spaghetti wasn't done, but he didn't say anything.

Back at his house, Edd laid on his bed. All of his things were packed and ready to go, and he was dressed. His legs hung off the edge, his arms outstretched to his sides, his eyes on the ceiling.

For once, he felt like the jerk.

And for once, he thought Eddie's overreaction was appropriate. Maybe anyone else judging the scene would side with Edd, but they'd be biased. He knew how to appear polite and poised. Anyone who knew him knew better, like Eddy and Ed. Both of them saw right through it, and it made Eddy furious. It frightened Ed, because he thought it was directed at him. And maybe it was.

Nobody took him seriously when he got mad. No one. Not until it escalated into panicked, self defense mode stress, into an attack, did anyone take his anger with more than an eye roll or a laugh.  
Edd turned his head. His sight landed on clock. He needed to leave.

With a grunt, Edd sat up, smoothed out his sheets, and ventured down stairs. He picked up his case as headed out the door. He'd apologize, eventually. He always did, and honestly, he never regretted it.

It was just hard nowadays, when his apologies, so many of them, weighed so lightly. It's like they didn't matter. And worse, he never got them back. He rarely did in the past, but there were subtle hints. Eddy had a backwards way with letting people know he had guilt. Maybe Edd was needy, but he really liked knowing that his feelings were well received, god forbid, mutual, especially amongst trusted friends.

Eddy wasn't always understanding. He couldn't explain how he felt without him flying off the handle into some rage over the most trite, nuanced things. That was the problem. As Eddy grew older, he became more calloused. His temper worsened. And on the other end of the spectrum, Edd grew more subtle, more observant. It wasn't a good mix. And poor Ed was caught in the middle.

Edd shook this from his mind. He didn't want to imagine all them growing apart. But he wasn't the only one thinking that…maybe Eddy, and even Ed had considered it too.

The sound of another pair of feet made Edd turn around. He hadn't realized how far he'd walked from his house up until this point. Looking back, he saw Kevin making his way up the sidewalk. Towards him.

"Oh dear." Edd swallowed and continued forward, praying that Kevin would ignore him like usual. No such luck.

"Hey, Double Dweeb." The other boy called out. Edd started. Before he could blink Kevin was next to him.

"Oh, hello, Kevin. Going to the dance early?"

"I told Nazz I'd help her out with the lights." Kevin kept his eyes forward, his hands in his pockets.

"Oh, that was kind. Is she your date."

Kevin snickered.

"Duh, and where are yours?"

"I, uh, don't have a date, Kevin."

"No, I meant Dork and Dorky."

Edd rolled his eyes.

"I headed out early to set up my steel guitar. I'm the music for tonight."

This caught Kevin's attention. His head shot to the the case Edd was toting along.

"You play the guitar? Steel guitar? Like electric?"

"Uh, not quite. Those are nickel stringed. This is a steel stringed guitar. Much different sound, though it can and will be connected to an amp, and it comes with foot petals."

If Kevin knew what the steel guitar sounded, or even looked like, he probably would've scoffed in Edd's face. But he didn't, so he just nodded.

"What about the other two dweebs?"

"I guess they'll come when they come."

"Hmm, chill, so you're going without them?"

"Technically." Edd adjusted his grip on the case. He turned back to see the cul-de-sac disappearing beyond the horizon. A fourth of the way there. He switched the case to his other side to give his left arm a break.

"That heavy?" Kevin jerked his chin, indicating the guitar case.

"A bit, but it's not too bad."

"Lemme feel." Kevin didn't so much as as demand. Edd wasn't inclined to give in, but he also wasn't in the mood to be tormented, so he wordlessly offered the case handle. Kevin took a hold and tested the weight by bouncing it in his grasp. "Not too bad. I got it from here."

Edd really had nothing to say to that, aside from a polite refusal that was denied, along with a thanks.


End file.
